Thoughts and Reflections from a Brimmer Lifer

Chardon Brooks '15
Student Admissions Associate

Week 5: Volume V
May 29, 2015 

It is hard to believe, but in a matter of hours I will be walking across the Corkin Theatre stage to receive my high school diploma and bid farewell to my Brimmer family and my home for the past thirteen years. High school graduation is a much anticipated, bitter-sweet sensation. I am so ready and excited to be heading off to college and to begin the next chapter of my development and life.  However, saying goodbye to Brimmer will certainly not be easy. Many high school seniors dont have the profound, personal connection to their school that I have. Over the course of my thirteen years, I have had the opportunity to make long lasting friendships that I will no doubt keep for life. I have also had the chance to forge deep connections and relationships with the faculty and staff at Brimmer, made possible by our tight-knit and close community. I feel immensely honored and grateful that I was able to be a member of this community and for all it has given me throughout the course of my life.
 
It sounds cheesy, but it really does feel like just yesterday that I was a shy, doe-eyed little girl clinging to my moms jacket, doing everything in my power not to cry when she left me at School on my first day of kindergarten. Looking back, I can say with certainty that I am so glad she did. It was Brimmer that helped me find my voice and turned a shy, nervous, little five-year-old into the driven, hard- working young woman I hold myself to be today. Brimmer has bestowed upon me life-long lessons that I will carry with me to college and beyondlessons of friendship, love, perseverance, hard work, respect, responsibility, and kindness. I have come such a long way, and Brimmer has been there every step of the way. I have failed here. I have learned here. And, I have succeeded here.
 
I couldn't be more grateful to this School. It will always hold a very dear place in my heart. And though this isn't goodbye, because I absolutely plan on coming back to visit, it is an incredibly momentous momenta moment of much joy, sadness, and gratitude. Thank you to the people and place that constitutes Brimmer and May. 



Week 4: Volume IV
May 22, 2015


With graduation fast approaching, students and faculty alike are enjoying the end of year with a number of fun and exciting events such as: the traditional junior/senior prom, which took place at the Newton Marriott this past Saturday; the very first student-directed productionAlmost, Mainewhich was performed on May 15th; and the Middle School musical, Cinderella, which ran this week. Late spring is always marked by busy, very exciting events to conclude the school year. For the 12th grade, its the last official week of Senior Project. These are the final events, of the final year, of high school.
 
Almost, Maine was directed by junior, Mia Kundert, the first student-produced and directed performance at Brimmer in many years. The show, which was featured last Friday night, received accolades and thumbs up from those who attended. Almost, Maine, a play by John Cariani, is compromised of nine short plays that explore love and loss in a secluded, mythical town called Almost, Maine. The show was so clever, lovely, and charming. I enjoyed every second of it,says Olivia Malmstrom 16. The positive feedback about the play has included praise about the hard-work, leadership, and talent of upper classman and director, Mia Kundert. Everyone agrees that the success of Almost, Maine will hopefully reinstate the Brimmer tradition of annual student-directed productions.
 
Other creative arts events included the Middle School musical, Cinderella. The show featured Lily Horn 19, who played the star role of Cinderella, and Ben Ernest 19as the Prince. The musical was, of course, led by our outstanding Middle School Drama Director, Mr. R.V. 
 
One of most unique and wonderful aspects of Brimmer and May is the level of student and faculty support for all manner of extracurricular activities, be it music, theater, arts, athletics, or other talent showcases. Regardless of their level of involvement in any of these areas, students and faculty always come out to support all of these programs. With encouragement from the entire School, star athletes are able to find a place on the stage and gifted musicians can realize their love for natural skill in any sport. Brimmers tight-knit, multi-dimensional community always gives everyone the opportunity to excel in so many areas and to develop into multi-faceted young adults. I am always amazed at and grateful for Brimmers commitment to these critical and life-changing programs that are an integral part of our educational experience and growth.


Week 3: Volume III
May 15, 2015

As we settle comfortably into the month of May, many of us are feeling the mixture of emotions that accompany the end of the academic year, the start of summer and, for the senior class, the end of our formal journey at Brimmer (although we, of course, look forward to staying involved as Brimmer alums). With the end of school year comes the end of the spring sports season.
 
As a school, we pride ourselves on the myriad Brimmer and May athletic accomplishments. We are a school packed with talented and committed athletes from all Middle and Upper School students. For the Brimmer seniors, the end of the season of sports translates into the last timethe last timewe will compete on our high school teams; the last timewe will be Gators representing Brimmer and May; the last timefor shot at a championship or accomplished season; and, for those that will not play sports in college, possibly the last timewe will play competitive sports. As I plan to continue soccer at Bates College, for me, this has meant the last timeI will play Varsity Girls Softball. Although soccer is my sport,I love softball and have bittersweet feelings about my last game against Montrose today.
 
Sports have been a defining part of my Brimmer experience. In the last four years I have played Varsity Girls Soccer and Softball and have served as captain for both teams this past season. Ever since I was a freshman, I have watched the seniors on my soccer and softball teams experience the joy and sadness of playing their last game in high school. I often wondered how I would feel when that day finally arrived.
 
At the start of my senior year, I was beside myself with excitement about my last year as a Gator and the chance for a stellar finish of my high school sports career. Unfortunately, I injured my knee before pre-season practice and never got to experience my long-awaited senior soccer season. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my team and coaches, I was privileged to remain co-captain of the soccer team and was able to fully recover from surgery. I have so enjoyed getting back out on the field and finishing my senior year on the Varsity Girls Softball team coached by Mr. Paul Murray. I look forward to pitching our last game on Friday against Montrose. Regardless of the outcome, I will forever be honored to be part of the exceptional group of students who represent Brimmer and May.  
 
Brimmers Upper School spring sports program includes boys and girls lacrosse, tennis, softball, baseball, and running club (an intramural running team that meets everyday after school). The Middle School spring sports offerings include the same options as Upper School.
 
I also want to wish the Varsity Boys Baseball team good luck as they enter into their league playoffs next week! GO GATORS!
 
 


Week 2: Volume II
May 8, 2015
 
A Brimmer and May tradition, or right of passage so to speak, is the Senior Thesis Defense. The Thesis Defense represents the last major high school assessment and test of the knowledge accumulated during four years of high school. The senior class has spent most of the year writing the senior thesis and preparing for the oral defense.  Preparation involves reading and studying various primary and secondary sources and researching their thesis topics.  The thesis consists of a 10 to 15 page thesis on a topic of interest, which must be presented to a panel of select students and faculty.  Senior oral defenses began last week and will continue for the next month until each senior has fulfilled their thesis requirements.  So far, we have heard Senior Thesis defenses on a wide range of writers and topics: from free agency in baseball to “posing” or “fronting” in the crime fiction of Elmore Leonard; from solipsism and empathy in Philip K. Dick’s science fiction to will and fate in the movies of Quentin Tarantino. Students have written theses about literary authors too: Jane Austen, Chaim Poto, C.S Lewis, Guy Maupassant, and Mark Twain, among others.  
 
As an AP English student and prospective college English major, I elected to study the renowned English novelist, E.M Forster.  On May 15th, I will be defending my thesis proposition that class division and social boundaries critically inform Forster’s writings, especially in three of his most acclaimed novels—Howard’s End, Room With A View, and Passage to India.  Although the Senior Thesis Defense can seem daunting, I think it is a perfect way to conclude a student’s high school education.  The oral defense allows high school seniors to demonstrate their passion for and interest in the thesis topic and the skills they have acquired at Brimmer. The senior thesis is a project that is unique to Brimmer and May and a long-standing tradition that proves seniors’ readiness to conquer college and begin the next level of their education. 
 
One of the reasons I have really enjoyed and appreciated working with the Admissions Office for my Senior Project has been the opportunity to get reacquainted with all aspects of Brimmer and May, including Lower and Middle School activities.  At Brimmer, Middle School students finish the end of the school year with the long-standing tradition of a white water rafting trip (which just left yesterday).  I vividly remember going on the white water rafting trip. I have fond memories of the trip as a blast and a unifying, very special experience that is so distinctive to Brimmer and May.  It’s part of the community and family I have been a part of for the last thirteen years.  I remember feeling so happy and so sad that my Middle School years were coming to end on the white water rafting trip.  It was such an incredible experience filled with love, learning, and friendship. I still cherish my memories of Middle School, even as I enter my final month, of my final year, at Brimmer and May. These memories I hold dear to my heart.

Week 1: Volume I
April 29, 2015 

Monday, April 27th, marked the first “official”day of Senior Project—a Brimmer and May tradition and requirement for all graduating seniors. Senior Project allows each student the opportunity to independently pursue and explore an area of personal interest and meaningful purpose in the final month of his or her senior year. Approved Senior Projects give members of the senior class the chance to gain real world experience before they embark on their journey into the future—in college and beyond. Once Senior Project begins, graduating students are excused from classes, except AP courses, which require continued attendance to prepare for the national exams.
 
This year, many seniors (myself included), have chosen to give back to the Brimmer and May community by volunteering on campus. My fellow students are engaging in a variety of projects, including working in the Athletic Department, Summer Camp Office, Creative Arts program and office of International Students. Some of my classmates have opted to explore their interests and passions off campus at places like a nursing home, a food pantry, an elementary school, the American Legion, Grub Street, an architectural firm, and with an animal behaviorist.
 
I have chosen to work as an intern in the Brimmer and May Admissions Office where I am privileged to work with a team of creative and energetic people that manage and lead our admissions program. As of this morning, I have been officially given the job title of “Student Admissions Associate.”This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me for a number of reasons. First, I have always enjoyed volunteering for the Admissions office by leading tours of the campus and giving various presentations to prospective and accepted families of the Brimmer and May community. I really enjoy interacting with students and families and sharing with them my love and passion for this community that I have called home for the last thirteen years of my life. Senior Project has given me the opportunity to give back to the institution and people that have been my family and a vital force in shaping who I am today. Brimmer and May has shaped my youth and given me the experience and tools that fundamentally define my values and priorities as I transition into adulthood. I could never repay the lessons and experiences that this community has given me. But it feels so great (and fun) to spend my final weeks at Brimmer helping to communicate how and why this community is so very unique as a place of learning, growth, and love. In fact, I can’t imagine an easier assignment than telling the story of how Brimmer and May gave me my voice as a student, as an athlete, and as a friend.
 
As Brimmer and May’s first and only Student Admissions Associate, I will be meeting with prospective families, conducting tours of all departments, helping to oversee the tour guide program, redesigning the Lower School coloring book that is used in the admissions process, and participating in all admissions events on and off campus. I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity to share my experience and perspective on the Brimmer and May community. As I head to Bates College in the fall, I am confident that my Senior Project will give me the confidence to contribute to many of the important lessons I continue to learn at Brimmer and May. As a future alumna of Brimmer and May, I can only hope that prospective students of this amazing institution will recognize and appreciate all that it has to offer.
As an inclusive private school community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs.